The Tallinn City Government made a proposal to the City Council to give diplomats who reside in the capital the right to use public transport free of charge. The reason for this is that according to the new regulation coming into force on 1 July, the free parking of diplomatic missions’ vehicles in public parking spaces will be reduced.

According to Deputy Mayor Vladimir Svet, the parking change has been discussed with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and introduced to representatives of embassies. “The current practice has been rather exceptional in the world and concerns the parking arrangements of more than 200 vehicles belonging to embassies,” said the Deputy Mayor. “In the future, only ambassadors’ cars will be able to park for free. If the City Council supports the plan, diplomats will be able to use public transport for free from 1 July, just like other residents of Tallinn.”

According to the regulation that will come into effect on 1 July, the parking fee exemption will remain in place for diplomatic mission vehicles with the CMD series registration plate. There are a total of 33 such vehicles in Tallinn. They are used by the heads of diplomatic missions or the ambassadors. However, vehicles with the CD series registration plate and AT series registration plate are no longer exempted from the parking fee in Tallinn.

The right to free public transport must be activated. For this, diplomats must register their public transport card accounts at the Tallinn City Office customer service bureau based on the diplomatic identity card. The free pass is valid for one year. The change concerns diplomats residing in Tallinn and their family members, about 500 people in total.

A change in the regulation for passes for Tallinn’s public transport and a change in the ticket prices, which would allow members of the diplomatic missions residing in Tallinn to use public transport for free, must be approved by the City Council.